Do you have a favorite clay body? | June 12, 2012

I have been making my own clay for the past four years, but just recently I have been wanting a white body clay. I have some "B" mix and a lot of Highwater in the studio. I would prefer to make my own clay because of the cost and control I have over the product. I would appreciate any and all inputs as to where I can get a good recipe for my own cone 6 clay that will fire out white.

Would love to see more answers from people in the NC area, especially since I live five miles from Highwater. I love some of Highwater's cone 10, but I fire to 6. Little Loafers is wonderful for handbuilding but tends to collapse when I am throwing large pieces. Desert Buff is great to throw, but I am having problems with it and some of my glazes. I just got a bag of Bella's Blend to try. It vitrifies at 5-6 but can slump if hotter than 6. It is soft and smooth as butter, so it is easy on my hands, but I was able to make a fairly large bowl quickly and with no sagging. It is plastic and very forgiving. I am hoping it works well with my glazes.

I have for a time, used "B" mix and enjoy it, but it still gives me a headache at times. The size of my pieces cause some problems. I want to try porceline and I am about to start making my own, but I do not like working with cream cheese. It is therefore, the reason I am working at making my own white body. I want that so that my pastel colors stay pastel and the white stays white. I want my colors to stay alive, so I will be using white.

No particular source as yet. I am still experimenting. I will check with a source in Baton Rouge in a couple of weeks, he will blend and produce my clay for me once I get it formulated.

I have for a time, used "B" mix and enjoy it, but it still gives me a headache at times. The size of my pieces cause some problems. I want to try porceline and I am about to start making my own, but I do not like working with cream cheese. It is therefore, the reason I am working at making my own white body. I want that so that my pastel colors stay pastel and the white stays white. I want my colors to stay alive, so I will be using white.

No particular source as yet. I am still experimenting. I will check with a source in Baton Rouge in a couple of weeks, he will blend and produce my clay for me once I get it formulated.

If Southern Pottery is still there, they are great!...I used them many years ago while at Tulane

For raku, which I make a lot, I like Stone Mountain Clay & Glaze Company's Raku #251 for all around raku work (sometimes, when I make a really nice form, I even fire it electric to cone 6 for functional ware). For larger raku work and saggar work I like Highwater Clay's Moon White, it throws and fires wonderfully.

For functional, figurative and scupltural work at Cone 5-6 I like Highwater Clay's Earthen Red, or at Cone 06-04, also Earthen Red. For woodfire, I like Highwater Clay's Hestia and Craggy Crunch.

I live in PA, so Standard clay is, well, standard. I like 211 (Hazelnut, cone 6) for its yummy, rich brown color -- I'm not a big fan of the grog in it, but it's manageable. I recently got a box of 240 (White, cone 6) and although it's a bit too soft for throwing anything more than a half-pound right now (right out of the box), I am loving the butter-like consistency.

Would love to see more answers from people in the NC area, especially since I live five miles from Highwater. I love some of Highwater's cone 10, but I fire to 6. Little Loafers is wonderful for handbuilding but tends to collapse when I am throwing large pieces. Desert Buff is great to throw, but I am having problems with it and some of my glazes. I just got a bag of Bella's Blend to try. It vitrifies at 5-6 but can slump if hotter than 6. It is soft and smooth as butter, so it is easy on my hands, but I was able to make a fairly large bowl quickly and with no sagging. It is plastic and very forgiving. I am hoping it works well with my glazes.

I have for a time, used "B" mix and enjoy it, but it still gives me a headache at times. The size of my pieces cause some problems. I want to try porceline and I am about to start making my own, but I do not like working with cream cheese. It is therefore, the reason I am working at making my own white body. I want that so that my pastel colors stay pastel and the white stays white. I want my colors to stay alive, so I will be using white.

No particular source as yet. I am still experimenting. I will check with a source in Baton Rouge in a couple of weeks, he will blend and produce my clay for me once I get it formulated.

If Southern Pottery is still there, they are great!...I used them many years ago while at Tulane

I have for a time, used "B" mix and enjoy it, but it still gives me a headache at times. The size of my pieces cause some problems. I want to try porceline and I am about to start making my own, but I do not like working with cream cheese. It is therefore, the reason I am working at making my own white body. I want that so that my pastel colors stay pastel and the white stays white. I want my colors to stay alive, so I will be using white.

No particular source as yet. I am still experimenting. I will check with a source in Baton Rouge in a couple of weeks, he will blend and produce my clay for me once I get it formulated.

Yes, Southern Pottery is still there and I have used them and it appears that they may be the major source of my clays. I am still working on a blend for myself and it looks as though I may have done it. It fires great to bisk. Now my glazes need to be tested.

If Southern Pottery is still there, they are great!...I used them many years ago while at Tulane